King James Version

Deuteronomy 16:19

Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

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Hebrew

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לֹאlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תַטֶּ֣הtatehspreadנָטָהverb, hiphil, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “spread”, an unfinished actionH5186to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application[phrase] afternoon, apply, bow (down, -ing), carry aside, decline, deliver, extend, go down, be gone, incline, intend, lay, let down, offer, outstretched, overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, shew, spread (out), stretch (forth, o…מִשְׁפָּ֔טmishpatlawמִשְׁפָּטnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “law”, the ordinary formH4941properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style[phrase] adversary, ceremony, charge, [idiom] crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly), (manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right,…לֹ֥אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תַכִּ֖ירtakiracknowledgeנָכַרverb, hiphil, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “acknowledge”, an unfinished actionH5234properly, to scrutinize, i.e. look intently at; hence (with recognition implied), to acknowledge, be acquainted with, care for, respect, revere, or (with suspicion implied), to disregard, ignore, be strange toward, reject, resign, dissimulate (as if ignorant or disowning)acknowledge, [idiom] could, deliver, discern, dissemble, estrange, feign self to be another, know, take knowledge (notice), perceive, regard, (have) respect, behave (make) self strange(-ly).פָּנִ֑יםpanima- foreפָּנִיםnoun, common, both genders, plural, absolute — “a- fore”, the ordinary formH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…וְלֹאveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תִקַּ֣חtiqachtakeלָקַחverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “take”, an unfinished actionH3947to take (in the widest variety of applications)accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.שֹׁ֔חַדshochadbribeשַׁחַדnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “bribe”, the ordinary formH7810a donation (venal or redemptive)bribe(-ry), gift, present, reward.כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…הַשֹּׁ֗חַדhashochadthe bribeשַׁחַדdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the bribe”, the ordinary formH7810a donation (venal or redemptive)bribe(-ry), gift, present, reward.יְעַוֵּר֙yeaverblindעָוַרverb, piel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “blind”, an unfinished actionH5786to blindblind, put out. See also H5895 (עַיִר).עֵינֵ֣יeyneeye , , -sightעַיִןnoun, common, both genders, dual, construct — “eye , , -sight”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5869an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him…חֲכָמִ֔יםchakhamimwise , manחָכָםadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “wise , man”, the ordinary formH2450wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful)cunning (man), subtil, (un-), wise((hearted), man).וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ףvisalefand overthrowסָלַףconjunction, verb, piel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and overthrow”, an unfinished actionH5557properly, to wrench, i.e. (figuratively) to subvertoverthrow, pervert.דִּבְרֵ֥יdivrecauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “cause”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…צַדִּיקִֽםtsadiqimjustצַדִּיקadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “just”, the ordinary formH6662justjust, lawful, righteous (man).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons; neither shalt thou take a gift; for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Thou shalt not wrest justice: thou shalt not respect persons; neither shalt thou take a bribe; for a bribe doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

Young’s Literal Translation

Thou dost not turn aside judgment; thou dost not discern faces, nor take a bribe, for the bribe blindeth the eyes of the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

World English Bible

You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality. You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.

Darby Translation

Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a bribe; for the bribe blindeth the eyes of the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

Douay-Rheims

And not go aside to either part. Thou shalt not accept person nor gifts: for gifts blind the eyes of the wise, and change the words of the just.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons; neither shalt thou take a gift; for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

they shall not wrest judgment, nor favour persons, nor receive a gift; for gifts blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Οὐκ ἐκκλινοῦσι κρίσιν, οὐδὲ λήψονται δῶρον· τὰ γὰρ δῶρα ἀποτυφλοῖ ὀφθαλμοὺς σοφῶν, καὶ ἐξαίρει λόγους δικαίων.